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Airlines for America, the trade organization for the major U.S. carriers, continues its push for a national airline policy to ensure U.S. carriers remain globally competitive, which includes reform to the airline industry's heavy tax and regulatory burden. Nicholas Calio, A4A president and CEO, recently testified before Congress that U.S. foreign airline competitors in the Middle East and China "enjoy domestic tax burdens up to three times lower than U.S. airlines" with other foreign governments recognizing the wider benefits aviation brings. According to CAPA's analysis, "wider, more enlightened, perspectives need to be applied to the industry, so that U.S. carriers are not constantly confronted by a scenario of devising strategies to sustain profits despite higher tax burdens. Instead, airlines should be provided an environment where aviation is recognized for the immense bearer of economic and social well-being that it really is – not simply a quick fix milk cow."

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Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson said the carrier was focused on a strategy to minimize its tax burden. Delta anticipates U.S. tax payments to affect profits beginning in 2017, when billions of dollars in credits for past losses will end. This has prompted the airline to begin on working to reduce its tax burden, according to Anderson.

Aviation analysts at CAPA recently named Etihad Airways airline of the year. The group praised Etihad's partnership strategy. "In a new world of aviation partnerships, Etihad Airways is at the strategic vanguard of equity relationships, as a growing number of airlines -– notably in Asia -– line up to emulate the success of this truly original model," noted CAPA Executive Chairman Peter Harbison. Meanwhile, the group named flydubai the top low-cost carrier based, in part, on the airline's ambitious expansion plan.

Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas Calio highlighted the need for the U.S. government to enact policies that recognize U.S. carriers as a strategic asset for jobs and economic growth. "We're competing, but we want to compete on a level playing field," said Calio. "[Foreign] airlines that we're competing with have a much better tax, regulatory, labor and infrastructure environment than we do. Our government often treats us, as you know, as a cash cow." Calio also noted that U.S. airlines and their passengers are paying more than their fair share in federally imposed taxes, which account for about 21% of the cost of a ticket.

Congolese rebels are stealing cows to sell to finance ongoing conflicts. Fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, sparked by the spillover from the 1994 Rwandan genocide, resulted in the production of "blood diamonds," sold to finance the conflict. When the UN peacekeeping mission left earlier this year after arbitrating a cease-fire between the Congolese Army and two major rebel groups, fighting resumed.

California is closing in on Wisconsin to become the leading cheese-producing state, with the help of the popular "Happy Cows" campaign for the California Milk Advisory Board. The campaign, the brainchild of Deutsch/LA, features a new 30-second spot showing cows playing Marco Polo in a misty meadow.